This is the first book I'm reading by Josie Lloyd - I really enjoyed it. This cosy mystery book is full of well-rounded charcters and a great plot and I'm hoping it's the start of a series. A great book to escape to and leave the world behind. Thanks to the publsihers for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

Loved this book! I would give it more stars if I could. My kind of cosy mystery! The characters are colourful, the plot clever with intrigue and the writing is engrossing. This was truly difficult to put down. Please tell me Miss Beeton will be making another appearance in a new story soon! Great read, I wish I could read it again without knowing the ending!

Thank you Netgalley

Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency is a cosy mystery set around Christmas, but perfect for curling up with at any time for a few hours of delightful escapism.

Alice Beeton, a distant relative of the renowned Mrs Beeton, runs a household staffing agency providing domestic staff to the wealthy. When one of her placements is found dead after a pre-Christmas party, Alice is less than impressed by the police’s interest in the case. As a lover of crime fiction, and the owner of a dog named Agatha after the Queen if Crime herself, she takes it upon herself to investigate ….

Although set in the present, there is a charming retro feel to the book. Alice is a delightful protagonist, determined and not afraid to step out of her hitherto somewhat safe life to get to the truth. There is humour, there is intrigue - and there are even recipes. It all makes for a charming concoction - and an entertaining read.

Alice Beeton, a distant relation of THE Mrs Beeton, runs a household management agency. When one of the women she placed into a home in an emergency is found dead, Alice and the team need to solve the case quickly.

A fun cosy mystery, a nice start to a series. Lots of interesting characters are introduced, I particularly liked Jinx and Alices' dog Agatha! I will definitely look for the next book, I'm a big fan of this style of story and this was a great beginning point.

I think this is the cosiest of all the cosy crime fictions I have read, its so sweet its sprinkled with Mrs Beeton's recipes!
Alice Beeton is a distant relative of the famous Mrs Beeton; she's always been proud of the connection, and prides herself on being an etiquette expert and a stickler for the correct behaviour. She runs an agency providing household staff across the country and she has someone for every eventuality. When one of her employees is found dead, Alice Beeton suspects foul play and begins investigating.
The story is beautifully told with plenty of detail and description. I did enjoy the insights into the lifestyles of the uber-rich with their staff on hand for every occasion. Personally I prefer my crime a bit edgier so this wasn't the one for me, but I know lots of people have loved the gentler side to the crime fiction world.

Josie Lloyd writes a great story with older characters. Alice Beeton runs an agency supplying domestic and household management staff. Her latest placement ends dramatically and Alice, right hand woman Jinx and other friends end up trying to solve a murder. You see the sad and lonely side of life in a wealthy household and have some laughs along the way. #missbeetonsmurderagency #netgalley

Josie Lloyd's newest book is Miss Beeton's Murder Agency. It was wonderfully fun to read!

In the author's notes, Josie reveals that this is her first 'cosy' book. Well, she's done a great job in gathering and creating all the requisite pieces needed for a cosy.

The biggest need is for a lead character. Ours is Alice. She's the owner of The Good Household Management Agency - it provides a myriad of fully vetted staff for just about anything you could think of. She's very easy to like. And she has a dog named Agatha - after Agatha Christie of course. The core supporting cast is just as well drawn. The friendship between Jinx and Alice is well written.

It's easy to find the "baddies", but are we sure we've got the right person? The ah-ha took me right down to the final pages and explanations.

What else? Ahh yes there is! A possible romance with a member of the local constabulary? The same copper who warned her away from sticking her nose into the case.

And lastly a lovely cosy set of vintage recipes handed down to Alice. "...her Victorian ancestor the very famous Isabella Beeton - she of the Book of Household Management." Those recipes are included!

I really enjoyed this cosy! I'll be watching for book two in this series.

Alice Beeton is a distant relative of 'the Mrs Beeton', and runs the 'Good Household Management Agency'. When Enya Fischer, one of her new recruits is found dead, Alice decides to investigate along with a police detective, her dog, her friends and colleagues. Despite some of these characters having minor roles, I really enjoyed each one of them and thought they all added something to the mix.

The fact that Alice has named her dog Agatha is a big hint that the author has taken some inspiration here from classic Christie mysteries and this comes through loud and clear throughout the book. It's 100% a cosy crime murder mystery, with a light and festive feel which is perfect for crime fans at this time of year. The inclusion of recipes in the story was also a really nice touch!

One thing I can say is that this book was exactly what I was expecting after reading the synopsis and seeing the cover design. If you are a fan of lighter or cosy mysteries then you know what you will be getting. There was one surprise though - this story is set in the present day but because of the links to Mrs Beeton, and the style of writing - it had a more vintage feel to it. I had to remind myself sometimes that this was a modern crime story rather than a historical one but that added to the overall vibe in my opinion.

An entertaining, well plotted and solid mystery. It's cosy-like, well plotted, and I had fun and was kept guessing. I hope to read more featuring these characters.
The author is a good storyteller
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

This is the first of a new cosy crime series by Josie Lloyd, and I’ve got to say I loved it. The perfect read for me while I was on holiday. Alice Beeton -yes a distant relative to the famous Mrs Beeton - runs a household agency supplying staff to some of the most elite homes in London and beyond. When one of her staff is murdered she finds herself investigating the crime. This book is filled with great characters, and of course Agatha, the dog. A book full of warmth and compassion, with the exception of the baddies, and did I mention of the recipes! I highly recommend and can’t wait for the next instalment in the series. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher. for the ARC of this novel in return for an honest review

This was a surprise for me as I didn’t expect to enjoy it as much as I did, but it was a beautifully written book with a captivating story. The characters were complex and relatable, and the plot kept me engaged throughout. Definitely worth reading. I really enjoyed this one.

Was a bit of a slow start and I didn’t know where it was going but this book was really enjoyable. Light hearted but interesting and funny, it was excellent.

Like Ms. Alice Beeton’s life, this book starts off slow and steady. It is matter-of-fact, methodical, and simple, just like Alice.

However, as the story develops and the body count starts climbing, Alice’s peaceful but mundane life is upended. Little does she know that a new employee and a phone call will change everything Alice knows in life.

I enjoyed the change of pace in this book. I didn’t appreciate it at the time, but it all made perfect sense in the grand scheme of things. I couldn’t read through the ending quick enough because it was so action packed.

The contrast between the quirkiness and flaws of the everyday working characters and the rich, self absorbed characters made for an entertaining read. The majority of the characters were loveable and relatable. The few cold souls made us appreciate the kind characters even more.

The relationships between these characters was heartwarming. Not only did the book tell us a story of a gripping ‘whodunnit’ murder mystery, it also showed us the happiness and peace that can come from loving company, tea and cake 🍰

The quickening of pace as the story was unfolding, the gathering of the evidence and the big reveal at the end made this Christmas themed murder mystery an easy 4.5 stars from me!

A cosy murder mystery interspersed with recipes, this book follows Alice Beeton, distant relation of the famous Mrs Beeton, as she finds herself embroiled in a murder case. Alice runs an agency for all things household: housekeepers, chefs, you name it, all exacting the highest standards her famous ancestor would have been proud of. A young woman looking for employment, a sudden departure of a housekeeper over the festive season, and a dead body. As the police struggle to solve the case, Alice decides to turn detective. An enjoyable cosy read for fans of this genre.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher, HQ, for a copy in exchange for a review.

A well written, cleverly plotted, and funny book. Ms Lloyd has created a world of charm and humour where the owner of a small agency providing domestic staff finds herself in the middle of a murder. A distant relative of Mrs Beeton of cookbook fame, Alice Beeton places a housekeeper in a home and then the housekeeper is murdered.

The plot is complex with betrayal and fraud and red herrings and all along Alice and her delightful little gang are trying to run a business, bake cakes, and find what the Mesants are hiding. Alice’s funny wee dog Agatha - after Agatha Christie - adds to the fun.

I hope this is the start of a series as the characters are excellent and the premise allows for lots of adventures.

I was given a copy of this book by NetGalley

This started a little slow for me and I was slightly disappointed as it sounded so good, but then it suddenly took off and before I knew it, the end! I wasn’t a fan of Alice to begin with either, but she definitely grew on me as the book went on.

She has some great characters around her too, Jinx and Helly, and of course, Barney but such good back-up to them as well. I knew there was something about the Messents that I wasn’t sure about as soon as we met them, but I couldn’t put my finger on it.

Such a good intriguing story that certainly grabbed my attention when it got going, just a shame it was a little slow at the start. I’m hoping there is more from the detective/household agency to come as there is certainly more to explore with these guys.

Thank you Netgalley, HQ and Josie Lloyd for the e Arc of Miss Benton's Murder Agency.

This is the first of Josie Lloyd's books and I loved it! You can beat a nice cosy mystery/thriller on a winters afternoon and what makes this book unique is that there are recipes entwined into the storyline. It's lovely to hear some great traditional recipes and I'll definitely be getting the physical book to try them out!

I really enjoyed the pacing of the book which to me left medium. There was always something going on, recipes to make and a murder clues to suss out. The characters were well rounded and felt real. I would love an Alice Beeton in my life.

5 stars

With an eye-catching cover, modern-day Agatha Christie vibes and a bingeable story, everything about Miss Beeton’s Murder Agency screams ‘cosy Christmas read’. And, I’m happy to say, it doesn’t disappoint.

Alice Beeton runs the Good Household Management Agency, providing domestic staff for London townhouses and sprawling country mansions. One morning, she receives an urgent request for a new housekeeper and it seems the stars have aligned, because at that moment she is interviewing Enya, a possible new hire. But just a few days into her new post Enya is murdered. So, determined to solve the crime and get justice for her employee, Alice goes undercover to infiltrate her own clients.

Heartwarming, funny, festive and entertaining, reading this book was like snuggling up in a fuzzy blanket by a warm fire. Evocative imagery conjured cosy, wintery vibes while Josie Lloyd’s masterful storytelling and clever plotting made me lose myself in the story. But one of the highlights for me were the recipes for treats such as lemon biscuits from Alice’s fictional Victorian ancestor, Mrs. Beeton that are sprinkled throughout.

A cast of quirky and colourful characters populate the pages and the eponymous Miss Beeton is my new queen on the amateur sleuth block. Curious, brave and tenacious, Alice is likeable from the first page. She likes things well-ordered and tidy, something that she discovers is not only perfect for running her agency, but for solving crimes too. There’s a great camaraderie that radiates from her whole team and I loved the friendship and witty banter she had with her best friend, Jinx. Then there’s my new favourite crime-solving side-kick of all time, Alice’s cute and intuitive dog, Agatha (named after who else but Miss Christie). Add in a swoon-worthy detective and you’ve got yourself a recipe for the perfect cast of characters for a fun festive crime story.

A marvellous cosy crime with a retro vibe, this is a lighthearted, warm and witty story that is guaranteed to get you in the festive spirit. I’m hoping this isn’t the only time we will see Miss. Beeton’s crime-solving skills and that Alice and her team will return for more adventures.

I was interested in the premise for this book - a cozy crime novel, set around Christmas, and with the added extra of the legacy of Mrs Beeton. I settled into the story pretty quickly, and the investigation kicked in fairly soon. Unfortunately I found the cast a bit confusing at times - there seemed to be too many supporting characters, some of whom I couldn't place when they reappeared. I also found that the chapters dragged a little bit from the 50-75% section, and then the ending seemed quite rushed (the reveal of how everything happened ended up being a little bit of a "X did this because Y, and then they put Z over here because A had heard B saying this to C"). I was also slightly disappointed to find the story doesn't *really* take place over Christmas - by the time the action kicks in it's already over.

A good old fashioned who done it. Alice Breton runs an agency supplying high quality domestic staff to wealthy patrons but when a housekeeper is murdered she takes a more hands on approach. An entertaining read.